Labyrinth packing



Jan. 1, 1935-. w. BEYER LABYRINTH PACKING' Filed July 24, 1931 ing steam,

59 as sealing uuid.

With the known sealing uid is always low.

different from that Patented l, 1935 UNITED STATE This inventionrelates against the for sealing steam, especially The invention 5 formed by superheated steam is arrang ries with the me packing, the arrangement being such,

LABYRINTH' racxINo.

Wilhelm Beyer, Vitkovlee- Olechodavakia s PATENT OFFICE 1,833

zelcnrnr,4

application .my a4, 19371, serum. 553,011 Inner-many v'l Chim!- (Cl. 286-1.)

to a labyrinth packingpressurey of saturated in high-pressure steam plants.

edinselabyrinth that this bers constituting the packing operates not inconnection with saturated steam but with superheated one. It is suited to the purpose e ing the superheated steam employed seal from the pressure space to sealed by means order to ensure heated steam, ing the pressure of `denite pressure The place where pressure sealed. It superheated steam of sure is not available, lower pressure may be used to separate -the space containas closure or be packed or. lof an intermediate packing in the sealing action of the superto avoid the necessity of limitthis steam either to a certain or to narrow limits ofI pressure. the superheated steam is tapped and higher than the togbe packed or a higher pressteam with a somewhat as checking steam without a perceptible diminution ofthe effect.

Said intermediate packing corresponding to the ratio must be dimensioned of the pressures existing in the pressure space and the sealing space for the superheated steam.

also have regard'to the temperature of the checkii it should be possible to choose steam having a certain distinct temperature.

I am aware of arate sealing boxes and with lab There have been designed, for use in connection with in which cold water is used as means perature the fact that the use means th packings is known. for instance, packings a fluid at a high temfor preventing a detrimental action dueto the eiects of temperature and changes of temperature, stufling spaces under vacuo, Spaces of pumps, from entering into vthe respective spaces,

ways provided with a liquid seal, or a 'sealing liqboxes provided for the packing o! for instance the suction so as to prevent atmospheric air are alf uid. In the case of labyrinth packings for those spaces of steam turb "esin below atmospheric pressure steam with a pressure slightly above atmospheric pressure is used packed, as is under vacu devices the temperature of the This nuid may be in the space to be sealed or the case, for instance, with spaces or it maybe a fluid of the same resides in that a closure or seal chosen that the pressure of the 4 This ratio should which the pressure is kind or nature, distinction thereto, the present in combining with a for the sealing of satur pressure than atmospheric pressure a sealing space sealing fluid being, that to be sealed or p but in another state.

labyrinth containing superheated the same, but the temperature Aof, the

being considerably higher. In any 10 case, especially leakage steam, rosions and er members, is

better quality of the possible to utilize this ste advantageously. A

In order to make my invention more clea AI refer to the accompanying constructional form matieauy and by way of Figure 1 is an axial section packing designed according gether with 'and Figure Patent No. 1,740,254, in with in detail.A That plant does of the present invention and is, claimed in the pre described therein in such 'a measure vention can On the drawing, 1 (Fig. a steam 'circulation pump; pump, and 2 the shaft to aiiixed. located in a casing 3.

ing between.

packing 4.

and this This shaft passes thr The shaft tively large plurality of By providing ing 6', the pump and a two-part pump wise beneeessary can An annular chambe with the labyrinth p attained.

leakage said pump with its befully llIlderstoOd sleeve-like extension them collars,

forming the be avoided.

acking 4,

invention consists packing intended ated steam under a higher thus,inthiscasethesameas acked and also its state being y as regards high-pressure steam plants, a considerable reduction of the losses by aswell as a reduction of the -corosions in the labyrinth-forming Furthermore, owing steam', it is rendered am considerably more v drawing in which a thereof is shown diagramexample, and on which through a labyrinth to this invention, toparts of a steam-circulation pump', 2 is a representation o! a complete labyrinth pack..

which that plant is dealt not form a part therefore, not nt applicatiombut it is also that the inl) denotes the rotor of 3' is the casing of-this which said rotor 1 is ough a bushing 6' 3'I o! the pump is provided with a comparaannular grooves 5 formand the bushing' is pro vided with collars 6 engaging said grooves, parts 5 and 6 together the collars 6 in the separate bush- 'casing which would otherr '7 is arranged in series as shown in Fig. 1, mmunicates with a bore 8 In contraseparate 5 steam, the

tothe 15 Vso these labyrinth 1 and 2), the labyrinth-packing operating, thus, not in connection with saturated steam, but with superheated one.

The chamber 7 with its contents of superheated steam is separated from the pressure space of the casing 3 by an intermediate packing 9 also de signed asalabyrinth packing and formed with into that Wall of the casing adjacent the sleeve 3d, and a coacting annulus on the rotor 1. The hollow ring 3 also forms with another annulus on the rotor 1 a labyrinth packing 13 which seals the annular chamber 10 thus formed from the clearance space 12 of the pump. The chamber 10 communicates with thesuction chamber of the pump through bores 11 formed in the rotor. Instead of the bores 11, a. by-pass may lead from to the suction side. of the pump. Owing to the constructional form of the intermediate packing 9 and also of the packing 13, the length of the packing device as a whole, and therefore the total length of the pump, becomes shorter.

This main packing is, in the example shown', subdivided into three sections separated from one another by annular chambers 14 and 16 communicating with bores b and c of the sleeves 6 and 3d. A part of the leakage steam is withdrawn at b (Figs. 1 and 2), or 15 (Fig. 1) respectively, and is conducted to the corresponding stage of a two-stage or multi-stage engine in order to do work, as will be more fully dealt with in connection with Fig. 2, that steam requiring no particular preliminary treatment in order to be suited vfor the object in view. The remainder of the leakage steam is withdrawn at c (Figs. 1 and 2), or 17 (Fig. 1) respectively; its pressure is nearly atmospheric pressure and it can be utilized,

for instance, for preheating the feed water for the respective plant, as is the case in the example shown in Fig. 2.

In this example the leakage steam tapped at b is conducted through pipes 21 and 26 to a turbine 18 that is coupled with the steam circulating pump 1, 3 in order to drive it. 'I'he waste steam from the turbine 18 is conducted through pipes 25 and 27 to a preheater 20 'for the feed water;l the preheater receives water from a feed water pump 28 through a pipe 29 and the hot water is then conducted through a pipe 30 into a`coil 31 located in the ue 32 ci a boiler 33; the preheated feed Water is further and highly heated in said coil 31,

' may be also evaporated, and the -hot water or the steam or the mixture of both is conducted through a pipe 34 into the water space of a vessel 35, from the steam space of which extends a pipe 36 to the steam circulating pump 1, 3. The water in sel 35, which, in fact, is a steam generator, receives superheated steam from a coil 37 located inthe top of the furnace oi the boiler 33; below a. pipe 39; the other end of the coil 38 is connected through a tube 40 with the outlet of the pump 1, 3.v The steam leaving the coil 38 is divided into two currents, the one streaming' through a pipe 41 to the point a (Fig. 2), that is to say, to

' the bore 8 of the pump casing 3 and further into the chamber 7 that is arranged in series with the labyrinth packing 4, or. 5, 6 respectively, as has already been describedin a preceding part of this specification. It will be understood that the quan,-

tity of steam which is used for sealing purposes is quite small Ain amount in comparison with the the inner space 10 of the ring 3 j second chambers; a source quantity of steam which passes from superheater 38 to superheater 37.

a The highly superheated steam leaving the coil 37 is also divided into two currents, of which the one ows through the pipe 42 to the Yvessel or boiler 35 and is conducted directly into the water therein contained by means of a perforated pipe 43. The othercurrent ows through a pipe 44 to the rst stage 24n of a four-stage turbine; the second stage 24h and the third stage A24c are connected with one another not directly, but by the intermediary of an intermediate superheater 19. 'I'he steam flowing from the turbine stage 24b into this superheater is also divided into two currents, the one passing into this superheater and the other passing through a pipe 22 to the turbine 18 which receives also the leakage steam coming from the point b (Fig. 2) Under small loads, leakage steam taken oi at b from the labyrinth packing is itself suiilcient to drive turbine 18, so that in this case no steam is withdrawn from the main turbine' for the turbine 18. At even smaller loads, so much steam may be available from the labyrinth packing in addition to that necessary for turbine 18, that steam may iiow from the labyrinth packing to the main turbine between stages 24b and 24C. 'I'he steam coming from the intermediate superheater 19 flows through the turbine stages 24c and 24d and the waste steam is condensed in a condenser 45 by'means of a cooling pipe 46, the condensed steam flowing nally into a collecting vessel 47 from which it is further conducted into the feed water pump 28 already mentioned in a preceding part of this speciication.

I wish it to be understood that the tapping points b and c may be located also at other portions of the labyrinth packing 4; that is true especially of the steam tapped at b, in that the respective portion of the labyrinth packing should be chosen in correspondence with the purpose for which the tapped steam is intended.

I wish it further to be understood that the labyrinth packing can be used also in connection with other arrangements and combinations of parts than such a one shown in Fig. 2. This is merely a constructional form shown by way of example.

I claim:

1. In a steam plant, a machine comprising a chamber to be sealed and a labyrinth packing for sealing said chamber; a source of saturated steam at superatmospheric pressure; a conduit connecting said source with said chamber; a steam superheater; a second chamber disposed between said packing and said first chamber; and a conduit connecting said superheater with said second chamber, whereby the latter may be supplied with superheated steam.

2. In a steam plant, a machine comprising a chamber to be sealed, a labyrinth packing for sealing said chamber, a second chamber disposed between said packing and said rst chamber, and an intermediate packing between said first and of-saturated steam at superatmospheric pressure; a conduit connecting said. source with said rst chamber, whereby the latter may be supplied with saturated steam at superatmospheric pressure; a steam superheater; and a conduit connecting said superheater with said second chamber, whereby the latteil may be supplied with superheated steam.

3. In a steam plant, a machine comprising a casing which defines a rotor chamber to be sealed, a rotor in said chamber, a lab -rinth packing for sealing said chamber, sealing h between said labyrinth packing rinth packing for' sealing said space, of a chamformed between said rotor and casing inter- -ber located between said packing and said space, mediate said first mentioned chamber and said chamber, and an intermediate packing between superatmospheric pressure; a conduit connecting said chambers, the cooperating parts of Asaid insaid source with said rotor chamber, whereby the termediate packing being carried respectively by latter may be supplied with saturated steam at said casing and said rotor; a source o! saturated superatmospheric pressure; a steam superheaten steam at superatmospheric pressure; a conduit and a conduit connecting said superheater with 5. connecting said source with said rotor chamber said sealing chamber, whereby the latter may be l whereby the latter may be supplied with saturated supplied with superheated steam. steam at supera'tmospheric pressure; a steam 6. In a rotary pump, the combination with a superheater; and a conduit connecting said casing and a rotor, a space to be sealed and consuperheater with said sealing chamber, whereby' taining saturated steam at superatmospheric l0 the latter may be supplied with superheated pressure, and with a labyrinth packing for sealsteam. i ing said space, of a chamber formed between said 4. In a rotary pump, the combination with a rotor and casing intermediate said packing and space to be sealed and containing saturated steam said space, means for supplyins superheated at superatmospheric pressure and with a labysteam to saidchamber, a second chamber also l5 means for` supplying said chamber with super space, and means for connecting said second heated steam, a second chamber located between chamber and the suction space o! said pump. the first mentionedchamber and said space, and '1. In a rotary pump, the combination with a 2o l means for connecting said second chamber and casing and a rotor, a space to be sealed and conthe suction space o! said pump. taining saturated steam at superatmospheric 5. In a steam plant, a machine comprising a pressure,` and with a labyrinth packing for sealcasing which defines a rotor chambertobe sealed, ing said space, of a chamber formed between a rotor in said chamber, labyrinth packing for said rotor and casing intermediate said packing 25 sealing said chamber, an annular sealing chamand said space, means for supplying superheated ber formed between said rotor and casing, a steam to said chamber, a second chamber dissecond annular sealing chamberformed between posed adjacent said first mentioned chamber, and said rotor and casina and disposed about said an .intermediate between said second l nrst sealing chamber in substantially concentric chamber and said space, the cooperating parts of 30 relation thereto, means connecting said second said intermediate p being carried respecannular sealing chamber with the suction space tively by said easing and said rotor, and means of said pump, intermediate packing between said for connecting said second chamber and the sucsecond annular sealing chamber and said nrst tion space ot said pump. sealing chamber `and between the former and said BEYER. 35 rotorchambenasourceof saturatedsteamat i 

